Fid for splicing rope



y 1947. v. ADRIAIS, 2D

FID FOR SPLICING ROPE Filed June 17, 1944 Patented July 8, 1947 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE FID FOR SPLICING ROPE Venancio Adrias, II,Washington, D. 0.

Application June 17, 1944, Serial No. 540,855

2 Claims. (01. 57-23) This invention comprises a fid and method of makinthe same, the present application bein a continuation in part of myprevious application filed March 26, 1942, Serial No. 436,349, nowPatent No. 2,394,884, issued February 12, 1946.

Although the fid of my previous application efficiently and effectivelysplices rope strands in accordance with the teaching of the invention, Ihave found that equally effective results may be obtained by a fid usinconsiderably less material yet retaining the same shape and otherdesirable characteristics of my presently used fid.

An object of this invention is to provide a fid the body of which isconstructed from a blank of material of predetermined shape, the blankbeing rolled to the desired configuration to provide a hollow body, apart of which is adapted for the reception of the strand being spliced.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method of making afid the steps of which include stamping or otherwise forming a blank ofpredetermined shape which is rolled to bring the marginal edges at oneend of the blank, into close proximity, to form the entering end of thebody, the opposite end of the blank forming a channel in which thestrand to ,be spliced is clamped.

It is also an object of this invention to extend the side walls of theopen end of the lid to provide stops in order to limit the extent ofmovement of the clamping member into the fid body, the fulcrum end ofthe clamping member being extended to increase the bearing area of themember to eliminate lateral movement.

Instead of making the fid body from a blank of material, it is alsoWithin the contemplation of this invention to mold or otherwise formsaid fid body from a plastic or other material.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdecsription of the present preferred form of the invention, taken inconnection with the accompanyin drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fid constructed in accordance withthe present invention, showing the clamping member in open position;

Figure 2 is a longitudina1 sectional view of the lid with a strand ofrope mounted therein and showing the clampin member in closed position;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2,looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the clamping member per se;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the fid body isconstructed;

Figure 6 is a detail fragmentary sectional view of a modified form ofthe invention;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line of Figure 6, looking inthe direction of the arrows; and

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of modified form of lid.

The fid body of the present invention consists of a blank generallydesignated 6. One end 1 of the blank is tapered to a point 8, thetapered end of the body being substantially triangular in plan. Theinner end of the triangle issues, intermediate its lateral extremities,into a substantially oblong or rectangular body 9. The blank isuniplanar and each of the parts 1 and 9 is of approximately the samelength. The rectangle 9 is provided with a pair of openings it formedadjacent the base of the triangle 1, as illustrated to advantage inFigure 5.

In forming the fid body the edges of the triangular end I of the blankare brought into contiguity as shown in Figure 1 to provide a tubularconically shaped entering end ll. During the same step, the edges of therectangular end 9 are bent to bring the same into substantially parallelrelation, also as illustrated to advantage in Figure 1. This provides astrand receiving channel I 2. The free margins of the channel are bentinwardly and downwardly to snugly embrace a major portion of the ropestrand perimeter. A further step in forming the fid body is to depressthe inner terminal of the conical entering end I I to provide a fingerdepression l3 through the medium of which movement of the fid through arope is facilitated.

As illustrated to advantage in Figure 2, the base of the fid body iscurved or arched from approximately the point It. The curve toward theentering end H is more pronounced than toward the aft or butt end of thebody. I have found that this contour facilitates threading operation. Inaddition, this bowing of the body tends to a better purchase of thestrand. In other words, this construction provides an abrupt lip I5which bites into the strand, as illustrated in Figure 2.

tom of the channel J2 to limit the movement of the lid into the channel.Since however the lid is constructed of a flexible material, the freeend thereof may be flexed inwardly against the strand being threaded, asillustrated in Figure 2, to obtain a better purchase on the strand, ifthis should be necessary, especially where smaller diameter strands areemployed. The ends of the sleeve, formed by the convolution [7 may beextended, as indicated at ll beyond the sides "of the clamping elementor lid It to prevent lateral movement of the element and to provide amore substantial bearing surface. This is not necessary with plastic orwood bodies. Also theunde'rface of the clamping element or lid may beroughened, as indicated at 22, toprevent slippage of the rope strand.

In the modification of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 ofthe drawings, lugs 'iS' 'are provided which extend inwardly from thesides of the channel and overhang the latter. 'With this form ofinventiorn the tab l9 is omittedfrom the lid it since the lugs willlimit the inward movement of the'lid into the channel.

In use, the strand of rope as indicated at 20, is mounted in the channelI2 following which the clamping element It is urged into engagementtherewith. When the strand is forced downwardly under pressure of theelement I6, displacement is prevented, not only because of theconformation of'the channel andthe pressure element,'b'ut likewisebecause of the vise-like grip on the strand, due to the upwardly cantedlip 15. As set out above, movement of the clamping element into thechannel i2 is limited by reason of the tab 49 in the form of inventionshown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive and the lugs orJstops 19 in the formof invention shown in Figures 6 and '7. This prevents distortion of thechannel and undue strain onthe axis of the clamping element. At the sametime, ample pressure ispermitted to positively clamp the strand. Thelugs l9 are depressedor countersunk in the channel 1.2 and when theclamping element is in a closed or operative position, the upper face ofthe element is in substantially the same'plane with the top of thechannel sides.

I have found that a fid constructed in accordance with the teaching ofthe present invention provides a lightweight relatively inexpensivedevice which will produce substantially the same-results :as the rid ofmy previous application, referred to supra. Furthermore, it is to benoted that for certain kinds of work, it is possiblet'o eliminate theclamping element 16, with a corresponding elimination'of the shaft 18,tab l9 and lugs l9, especially with lighter weight mate'- rial,whereextreme pressure in forcing the "fid 4 7 through the body beingspliced is unnecessary. The strand may be laid in the channel andpressure brought to bear thereon with the thumb or finger, especially inthe zone overhanging the lip l5 When the fid body is molded from aplastic or like material, the pointed end thereof may be made hollow, asillustrated in Figure 2. With the molded plastic body I prefer to employa modified form of lid wherein the fulcrum end thereof is enlarged asindicated at 2|. 'The base of the enlarged end is formed in the shape ofan arc, permitting free opening movement of the lid,

yet limiting the extent of inward movement into the lid body against therope strand 20, except such as is permitted by the inherent resiliencyof the lid.

Various other changes may be made in the invention within the scope ofthe claims hereto appended.

What Iclaim'i's:

1. AfidcbmpriSing an integral tubular body one end of which is closedand taperedto a point,

the opposite end being of channel shape for the reception of a ropestrand to be spliced, a clamping element pivotally mounted in saidchannel in close proximity to the inner terminal of the "closed'endofthe body, the terminals of the engaged end of'said element beingextended beyond the sides of the latter, lugs formed on the margins of.the-channel in proximity to the axis of the clamping element, 'ithe1lugsbeing in the path of movement of said element to limit the extent ofmovement of the latter into the channel.

2. A fid comprising a hollow integral body, tapering to apoint at oneend, theopposite end of thebody being open to receive a strand of ropeto be spliced, a clamping member one end of which'isipivotallyrnounted-in the body, the opposite "end of said member overhanging theopen end of the body and'adapted to be urged against the strand duringthe splicing operation and lugs extending from the side walls of theopen end of the body to limit movement of the clamping memberint'o thebody.

VENANCIO ADRIAS, II.

J'REFERENCES CI- TED The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 431,416 Todd July 1, 1890 759,717Kappler May 10, 1904 1,327,856 Bray Jan. 13, 1920 2,261,447 Payne -1Nov. 4, 1941

